Dark Secrets: Twelfth Brother
by himayamata
Summary: A flash of light reveals a lot of secrets throughout the world. Once the people saw their darkest secrets, a new age begins. Rapunzel saw a vision of a man that she didn't know. And a town of angry folk wanted Eugene's head for the crime he didn't commit. Unexpected Ending of this Tragic Story
1. The Prince

**This is one of the stories that suggested by my friends. They said it is interesting and I should post it online. That is all I can say. This Narrator is a character of the story. He's not me. No breaking of 4th walls here. So here's my first part of Dark Secrets. Enjoy! **

* * *

**The Prince**

Benjamin has found the cave. He's ready. Ready to save her. He checked his bag, sword and his shield. The young prince must dress like a noble knight and must look convincing that he's a prince. He fixed his hair and armor.

He's ready. "Here I go."

"Hello." He heard a voice behind him.

He turned and saw a silhouette of a woman. Then there was a scream.

Benjamin's scream.

* * *

Thousand of lanterns were seen floating up to the sky. The kingdom of Corona celebrates the return of their beloved princess after she was kidnapped for sixteen years. It was a wonderful sight. Happiness filled this great kingdom. I wanted to be there to join their dances and games. Enjoy the night together and meet other people.

I might find my true love or a friend there. Unfortunately, I have no time for that. I have a job to do. This job is not for mortals to handle. I'm different. I'm a powerful being. Well, one of the powerful beings in the world.

"My name is Oliver and I have seen a lot of wonders that happened and will happen in this world. Wonders like heroes or heroines saving the day, people finding their true love and villains defeated.

Love conquers all and that.

However, there are other things I saw that I really don't like to see. There are times when the villains won; friend betrays another friend and a lot of deaths cause not by anyone but by disease or poverty.

I saw everything. I wanted to do something but my role in this world is to watch every human life. I can't do anything. I can't interfere to help those unlucky ones. I can only do is watch and record.

I watched the lost princess Rapunzel happy to have returned and to be with her beloved husband Eugene. I watched and smiled. "At least, they got a happy ending." I'm happy but going back to the time where Rapunzel is still with Mother Gothel. There is something that the princess didn't know. Something that Mother Gothel did and kept it a secret.

After the wedding of Rapunzel and Eugene, the people of Corona prepare a large midnight ball to celebrate the newlyweds. The King and Queen were discussing with the groom about the future. Eugene has some difficult time deciding if he can do good to be a king. He asked if he can be just the princess's husband for a while until he's ready to be one. The King gladly accepts.

Rapunzel dances around with the four sisters and other young guests on this grand ball. The others joined in. They have fun. After enjoying the dance, Rapunzel was then approached by someone who called her name. "Rapunzel!"

The princess stopped and saw a young woman with a golden star on her forehead. She is the same age as Rapunzel but a little shorter and has raven black hair. Rapunzel smiled, "Hello."

"Um, hello. I'm Queen Aureole from the West Kingdom." She bowed before the princess.

"What brings you here?" Rapunzel asked.

Aureole answered, "I'm here for my brother Benjamin. I haven't seen him since."

"Oh, your brother is here? Where can I see him?"

The young queen began to worry. "Well, that's it. I don't know where he is. He told me if there was a grand wedding happening in Corona; I will come and see him."

Rapunzel paused, thinking about what the young woman said. "What do you mean?"

"It is a long story. I... I have twelve brothers and the youngest is Benjamin. He was so weak that my brothers treated him like a kid. So he promised them that he will become stronger like them by going on a quest. The eldest of the brothers told him about you, the lost princess of Corona. If he ever finds her and marry her, he will earn their respect and stop calling him a weak kid."

"But your brother did not find me. It was Eugene." She showed Aureole to her husband who's spending his time with the former bandits.

The young queen got more worried. "Then where could he be?"

Rapunzel guessed, "Maybe he returned to your home kingdom after he heard the news of my return."

"It could be." Aureole sighs. "But he clearly stated in his letter that he found a lead to where you are. He said that he learned it from an old woman. It's sad that he never found you."

"Well, the tower is completely hidden. It was just luck that Eugene found it." Rapunzel shows her happiness. "I'm very grateful for it."

Queen Aureole chuckled. "He's a lucky guy. May I ask what happened between the two of you?"

"It's quite a long story."

"Just the important parts."

The bride and the young queen started a conversation about their past. Rapunzel told her about Mother Gothel and Aureole told her about her twelve elder brothers turning into ravens and her seven years of silence. Impressed by her story, Rapunzel wanted to hear more. The young queen admits it's a crazy tale. Fortunately for them, they both have happy endings.

* * *

But not everyone gets a happy ending.

As I was narrating this story to you, I saw what will happen next. I saw what's going to happen. I saw Death approaching. He's not going to kill these two lovely women. But Death has come for me.

"I know who you are." That was not Death. It's a voice of a man.

A mortal man with a grudge against me. I don't know the reason but I know why he's here. I said, "I know what you want and I know what you will do next. But answer me this, why can't I see you?

The man looked at me like a wolf targeting his prey. "I'm here to change the world."

For the first time in my entire life since the day I got the role as the mighty being who watched and knows everything, I have no single clue what he's talking about. He is not just an ordinary man. He's special. No almighty being in the world can see him in the past and the future. Not even the Sisters of Fate and Father Time can see him. I can only see him in the present. "Who are you, mortal?"

"It doesn't matter. You have the opal. My precious gem! Give it to me!"

Here it is.

The biggest moment in my life.

My last word.

Just a simple "No."

Upon hearing my answer, the man pulls out a large scythe. A familiar weapon and powerful one to be wielded by a mortal. After a second, I recognized Father Time's scythe. The only weapon that can kill an immortal.

How did this man got it? I don't know. I have no time to know.

But this is it.

This is Death right in front of me. I have no time to move, no time to think. I just watched as the man swings the sickle to me. It just takes a quick swing and I'm done.

* * *

After my unexpected demise, a powerful flash of light burst out from the sky and spreads all over the world. The people in Corona saw it and caught by this bright light, blinding them completely. Rapunzel looked at it while Queen Aureole shuts her eyes. "Argh! What's that?"

In that light, images appeared before the princess. She saw them flashing to her eyes. She saw her past when she was born, when she was taken away and when she was kept inside the tower for a long time. But there is one image that struck her. One image that was part of her past that she didn't know.

It's a young knight entering the cave and discovered the tower where she was being held. Rapunzel doesn't know who that was but she thinks its Queen Aureole's Brother Benjamin.

It could be him.

If so, that means he's the first one who found Rapunzel.

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. The Tower

**The Tower**

The light disappeared and Rapunzel fell down to her knees after seeing those images. Queen Aureole opened her eyes and saw the princess fell down on the floor. "Are you alright?" She helped her get back up. "What happened?"

"I... I saw everything." Rapunzel answered, still in shock. "I saw everything."

"What do you mean?"

"I saw your brother. He... he is the first one who found me."

"If he found you, where is he?"

Then her mind went blank. The visions are gone however she remembered them. She just didn't get any more details about those visions. "I don't know. I don't know."

Later, her husband Eugene came up to her with some great news. "Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"I saw my birth parents! They are alive and far away! I saw how I got separated. There was a big shipwreck and..." But then he noticed that Rapunzel was not interested. There is something bigger than seeing his parents. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help."

* * *

On the next day, Rapunzel and Eugene went to the tower once again, searching for a trail of Prince Benjamin. Eugene asked, "Why are we here again?"

"There was a prince here. He found me first." Rapunzel checked the vines of the entrance wall.

"Did that light show you these things?"

"Yes. The prince is the brother of Queen Aureole of the West Kingdom. And she's here to see her brother."

"Why are you doing this?"

Rapunzel paused, recalled the story of Aureole about her brother's suffering. "I just want to know where the prince is. I just want to help her."

"Is that why you brought her here?" Eugene points at Queen Aureole wandering around outside the entrance along with her two strange armoured bodyguards. Their weapons just give the former thief the chills. "I think those things can dice a cow."

"She must know. There is a reason why those visions appeared to me."

Eugene then asked one big question. He even asked the queen and the two knights. "Has anyone even wondered where that light comes from? I mean a lot of people saw it but they are not curious about its origins."

"Whatever it is, Mister Fitzherbert..." Aureole answered the man. "It's not important right now. I want to know where my brother is and I will never give up until I find him."

"Okay." Eugene said. "I'll help you find your brother."

"And after this, I promise you, Mister Fitzherbert. I'll help you find your birth parents." Aureole replied.

"Now that's a deal." He shook her hand unexpectedly to the queen. The knights responded by pulling out their swords and point them close to Eugene's face. He immediately lets Aureole's hand go and raised both of his. "I didn't do anything. I just shook her hand. That's all. No harm."

"Gregory! Heath! Stand down!" The queen commands her knights. "False alarm, guys."

"Sorry. We are just over protective, young sister." The tall knight Gregory apologizes.

Eugene stepped back and after getting three steps away, he went to his wife Rapunzel. "Those two knights are her brothers?"

"Yes."

But then here is my surprise appearance. A last piece of my soul shows up to warn them of a danger that will happen. The orange energy that forms into an image of my past self stands before them. "Hello. I'm Oliver the Omniscient.

Everyone was horrified to see an orange glowing man. The two knights moved in front the queen. Defensive formation. As for Eugene, he just froze, scared of me. He completely forgot about his wife right beside him.

"I have come in peace." That's what the first invaders said and I used it to them. I don't know if they ever trust me or...

"Oh, okay." Eugene was relieved. "For a second there, I thought you were a demon."

Such imagination. Flynn has never seen a demon. He just remembered what those old folks say from whence he came. All of them have never seen a demon. But I do. "And I have no time to tell you that."

"Tell us what?" Rapunzel asked. They heard me talking to myself which is pretty embarrassing.

"Sorry. I'm just narrating. It's just my habit. Sorry."

Everyone looked at each other, thinking that I'm crazy. I should tell them what they must know and what they must do. "Anyway, I'm here to tell you noblemen and lovely women that there is a murderer on the loose and he has my gem. As you can see, I'm a ghost that means I'm dead."

Queen Aureole steps in to ask me a question. "And why us?"

"Okay. Who among you here has seen that flashing light last night?"

Rapunzel and Eugene raised their hand. I pointed at the two lovebirds. "Them! I chose them to help me."

"But we are in a trail to find my brother." Queen Aureole said she doesn't want to abandon that. "If you are an almighty being, can you tell us where he is?"

Oh, I hate to spoil it. I hate to do this all of a sudden. But when she asked for it, I have to tell her everything she needs to know about her brother.

"Please. I want to know. Is he okay?"

"Alright. But prepare yourself. The truth will be hard to handle." Here it is.

The ugly truth.

I revealed to her the fate of her long-lost brother. It's obvious what really happened to him.

Pretty obvious.

I told her everything about her brother, Aureole paused but in shock. Her two brothers checked if she's okay. Rapunzel clenched her fist, feeling angry about Mother Gothel. She's mad of Gothel for keeping the truth from her.

Eugene doesn't know what to do but to comfort his wife.

"That is what happened." I said. "Prince Benjamin followed Mother Gothel to the tower and sneaks in. I know it's stupid because he was not prepared at that time. It's just... he wants to prove to his brothers and you that he's not weak and a coward."

Then the young queen turns to the tower and looked at it and its surroundings. "Where is he?"

I pointed at the hole on the base of the tower. "There."

Aureole sniffed, holding down her tears. She instructed her brothers to help her. They are going to take their dear brother home. Heath and Gregory enters the ruins, picks up and throws out a lot of rocks and bricks until they find what they came for.

Rapunzel and Eugene followed the three and I watched them uncovering inside the abandoned tower.

After removing the rocks and reach to the bed of soil, the knights start digging. Queen Aureole watches but her feet can't stop moving. She's nervous. I know that feeling she's having now. Later, the brothers got something. They slowly grabbed it and pulled it up to the surface.

Aureole went closer to see what they find. In one glimpse, she breaks down to tears and fell to the floor. Her brother Gregory gave her a warm embrace. "It's alright. It's alright, Aureole."

The young queen was not the only who's sad. Rapunzel turns away and cried on to Eugene. The princess cannot believe that the lost prince was under her former home this whole time. She's angry. Very angry.

Heath held the corpse of his young brother and wrapped him all over with a clean sheet of cloth. "Let's go home, sister."

It looks like those three are not going to help me now.

But I expect too much, the princess Rapunzel and her dashing husband came up to me. The princess faced me with her tears mixed with rage and sadness. "Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why didn't you do anything? If you are Omniscient, why didn't you use your almighty powers to save everyone?" She has a point there but also she needs to understand my duty as this being is to watch and record everything. If I interfere, it will cause another trouble. "If you came to save that prince, he should have been alive! He could get home to his family!"

"But if I did, you will never meet Eugene." I was right. If I didn't interfere, Eugene might find her.

Her head hurts. She tried to calm herself down.

I said, "I know. Since the day I receive these powers. I was given a responsibility to record the history of the world. But I must not interfere because it will ruin the future of your world. I've seen your future, Rapunzel. It was good. But the time I was murdered, your future changed. That is why I came here to tell you that you must help me to save the future."

Eugene looked at his wife. He saw her serious eyes. He can't tell what the princess is going to do next.

I asked her again. "Will you help me save your future?"

Then Rapunzel turned back to Queen Aureole and saw her still weeping near her dead brother. I can see her expression and even without my powers to see what's next, I know what she will say.

I just hope I was wrong.

Then the captain of the guard came and approached them to fetch Eugene. He asked Rapunzel, "My lady, your father wanted to see Eugene immediately. There are visitors who wants to see him."

"Who are these visitors?" She asked.

"I don't know. But they are very mad at your husband."

Eugene gulped, recalling his past crimes of thievery. "Oh, boy."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	3. The Crime

**I'm going to make this chapter short.  
**

**NOTE: I don't own any of these characters except the Narrator of this story. **

* * *

**The Crime**

They have come for him. The flash revealed a lot to the people of the world. Hidden secrets that were kept for a lifetime are out and it caused a large change to the people. A big man wearing fancy clothes associated with five knights arrived at Corona. The kingdom guards asked the man, "What's your business here, sir?"

"I'm here to arrest this thief!" He showed him the poster of Eugene. The guards recognized the man. Immediately, they called the king.

"Explain your reason, traveler." The King of Corona asked.

"We have come to arrest this criminal! Eugene Fitzherbert, also known as Flynn Rider!"

The king said, "We have pardoned all of his past crimes. This man saved my daughter."

The man exclaimed. "His crime is murder! He murdered children!"

The king did not respond. He was shocked to hear it. "Children?" He cannot believe it. His daughter was saved by a child murderer. But he's not dumb to believe it so easily. He needs evidence. "Where's your proof?"

"Bring me this man and I will show you proof!" He ordered his five knights to enter the castle.

The king's men stopped them. "I will not let you walked in here without my permission."

"Are you helping a mass murderer? You want to stop me for bringing justice for this children? 112 children lost their lives because of that man!"

The king then yelled, "Call him. Call him!" The captain of the guard ran back to the castle to fetch Eugene.

Minutes later, the guards have brought Eugene alongside Rapunzel and Queen Aureole. He saw the large fancy man standing beside the king, his father-in-law. "Is there a problem?"

"What sorcery is this?" The fat man cannot believe his eyes when he saw Eugene. "He... he looked the same! Almost the same. His nose is a bit different."

Eugene sighed. They must have referred it to the wanted poster they found. "They just don't get my nose right."

The king then asked him. "Is it true, Eugene?"

"About what, your Highness?"

"You murdered children."

"What?" Eugene was surprised as well. He has never killed anyone is his life except for Mother Gothel. He cut off Gothel's source of life which leads to her death. "I didn't do anything! I'm just a thief, okay? I'm not a murderer!"

Rapunzel defended him. "He's not a murderer!"

"Fritz." One of the five knights said.

"Excuse me?"

"Remember him? How about Magda? Meinard? Gertrud? Evert? Claudia and Claus? Gisa? Helga? Ivonne? Elise? My little sister Olga? Remember them, you bastard!" That knight yelled at Eugene. He pulled out his sword to the man. "Why can't we execute him right here right now?"

The King of Corona told the large man to calm his men down. "Please! There's no need of violence here. If you wanted him..."

"But father..." Rapunzel begged her father not to send Eugene away. "They will execute him."

"If he's really guilty for murder, then I will pay any amount you like just don't execute him."

"Where's the justice in that?" Another knight asked the king. "What kind of a king who tries to save this worthless piece of trash? We want him dead!"

"Please! Don't let them take him!" Rapunzel begged her father.

Then Queen Aureole stepped in and suggest to start an investigation. She got over her brother's death. It's time to help the people who helped her. "I proposed a thorough investigation." She said. "If we got a clear evidence, this will prove he's innocent... or not."

Oh, man. this is going to take long. My murderer has my gem and he's on the loose spread all the secrets to the world. Some secrets are worst and it should be kept hidden forever.

Queen Aureole asked the large man. "Where's the scene of the crime?"

"Near our hometown." One of the five knights spoke. "Weser River. Hamelin."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	4. The Identity

**I'm going to make this chapter short.**

**NOTE: I don't own any of these characters except the Narrator of this story.**

* * *

**The Identity **

Eugene was kept inside the Hamelin prison for the moment as the investigation goes on. His wife was just outside, waiting for this thing to end. While we are away, Eugene began to talk Rapunzel about the time the Light showed him where his real parents are. "Do you know how I got separated by my parents?"

Rapunzel knew it was not the best time talk about his past but she just listened to him. "No."

Eugene smiled, "It is unexpected to know how I lost my parents. How I got separated from them, I mean." He said, "There was a shipwreck. People survived including my parents. But we got separated by that time. A mysterious man, tall and handsome, rescued me and took me to the orphanage. This man saved me when my parents were not there."  
"Did you get a good look at his face?" Rapunzel asked.

"No. To be honest, that Light doesn't give you a very clear vision of what's happened. His face was blurry. I have a feeling that was Flynnigan Rider."

"Your hero? Why?" Rapunzel asked, liking to hear more of Eugene's stories.

"The nuns at the orphanage told me that he was a dashing swashbuckler. Their description of him is pretty complex for me to understand." Then Eugene noticed his wife yawned, got tired of worrying. "You need some rest, Blondie."  
"No. I'm still listening… just…" She tried to open her eyes but failed. "Just continue while I close my eyes. Okay?"

"Alright." Eugene continued his story as the day goes on.

I was with Queen Aureole investigating the crime scene beside the river. If you are asking how the folks reacted when they saw me in my orange ghost form, I told them I'm a wizard. They immediately get used to it. I mean, magic and enchanted creatures are so normal for them.

Then Aureole asked the Hamelin man some questions, "Where were the bodies when you saw them?"

"I don't see the bodies but I see what that bastard Piper did. He lead those children to the river and drown them."

"And yet you have not seen any bodies floating on the river."

"No." The man said. "The children just jumped into the river and vanished. We called the best swimmers in town to find them but we're unlucky."

"So you assume they are all dead."

"Yes."

Then the queen asked the other men, "How about you? Are you certain it was him who drew these children to their demise?"

"Yes." Several answered, others nod. "We remembered that beard. The eyes. That stupid hat."

Queen Aureole called the guy who said _hat_. "You, over there. What did you say?"

"Stupid hat?" The man repeated, confused. "I just said it was a stupid hat."

"What kind of hat was he wearing?"

"A tall pointed one. Red and yellow that matches his clothes."

I asked the queen, "Do you have anything, your Highness? Does the pointed hat remind you of someone?"

She answered, "Yes. We might have a lead here." She asked one of the witnesses. "Can any of you draw me this hat?"

Luckily, three raised their hands. She picked the nearest one, an old man that looked like in his sixties holding a cane with him. "You there. Can you draw me this hat that you saw?"

"There is no need. I have made a painting of it." The old man said.

"You made a painting?" I questioned the old man. "You made a painting of this Piper?"

"Yes. He demanded it. So I made one."

"Damn. I never thought of this." I said, "That sure save us a lot of time."

"Will you show us this painting of yours, good old man?" The Queen asked kindly.

"Sure."

The old man took us to his workshop and there we saw his portrait of the Pied Piper who was believed to be Eugene Fitzherbert. I looked closely and started to recognized that man. Aureole noticed my eyes squinted as I looked at the painting.

"Do you know this man, Watcher?"

"Um, kinda…" I said. "And it is Oliver. I have a name, your grace." I took another look at it and then it struck me. His sinister eyes glaring back at me. I remembered that moment of terror as this guy gazed upon me. I flinched as an image of him flashed before me. An horrific image of death.

"What is it? What did you see?" Queen Aureole asked. "Is that Eugene or just a different person?"

"That is not Eugene. That's for sure." I answered. "However, I know him."

"So you met this man."

"Yes. Once."

Aureole looked at the man in the painting. "Who is he?"

I replied, "He's the one who killed me."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	5. The Abduction

**The Abduction**

Queen Aureole and I went to the Hamelin prison and said to the jailer out loud. "Release him!" The old jailer, wrinkled and weak, was puzzled by our entrance. "Pardon?"

I repeated, "Release him! He is not the killer you thought he is. We have found the suspect."

"Then who is it?" The mayor of Hamelin entered the prison along with a hundred citizen peeping outside his men with spears and swords. "Who did it?"

Oh, boy. It will be too complex to explain for this mortals. "He's not human." I said.

The people from outside gasped when they heard my answer.

I continued to explain, "This Pied Piper you said was not, is not, can not be Eugene Fitzherbert no matter what you say! He's innocent!"

"Is there a clear evidence?" The mayor asked. He wanted proof. "Or you are just blabbering random nonsense."

Aureole responded angrily. "I kept my mouth shut for seven years! And in my entire lifetime, I have never said any nonsense."

The mayor apologized, "I'm sorry. So do you have proof?"

"The old man's painting has enough proof." The young queen said. "And we are certain it was not Mister Fitzherbert."

Before they could ask another question, I gave them an answer. "He's the one who murdered me."

Everybody paused when they heard what I said. "You mean… you are not a wizard?"

"No." I responded. "I'm already dead and what you see now is my restless soul. I'm a god once. Omniscient and almighty." Now it is getting complicated.

The queen asked, "How is that possible? This piper killed you for what?"

"My gem. The source of my power." If we continue this kind of conversation, the people of Hamelin will be confused and quickly decide to execute Eugene. I have to think of something-  
"The prisoner has escaped!" The jailer yelled after he saw the cell was empty. There were no sign of Eugene or Rapunzel anywhere. The locks are still intact. The walls are untouched or disturbed. There is only one way in and out of the jail. Queen Aureole and I were at the only door there. They can't sneak out undetected. I mean, there are people standing outside the building.

The mayor ordered his men to find Eugene. He told them that the man has proven to be guilty of the crime and he has escaped from his punishment. The people of Hamelin cried in rage. They picked up their pitchforks and torches as they ran around town and into the forest to find Eugene and his wife Rapunzel.

While they are away and we are alone, the young queen Aureole asked me. She still believes Eugene was innocent. She knows that he wouldn't escape just like that. Rapunzel will not allow that too. "Tell me this is not Eugene. There is some explanation to this, right?"

"It looks like it." I have one possible explanation for this. "They are kidnapped… by the Piper."

"You lost me there." Aureole said. "How can this guy enter the jail without-"

"He has my gem! It controls Time itself. You guys forgot there is magic, fairies and wizards! Anything is possible! He can take anyone anywhere and anytime. Now, he took the two with him."

"So the question we should ask is why." The queen's brother, Sir Heath, said.

"Do you know where he has taken them?" Sir Gregory asked me.

"Yes. But it will be too hard to get there."

Aureole asked, "Where?"

I answered, "Outside Time. To the great Void."

"And… are there any other ways to get there?"

"There's only a clean way. It's my gem. Unless..." But then something came up to my head. The river. Those children. "Oh, no."

"What is it, Oliver?" Aureole doesn't like what she's hearing. It sounds pretty bad.

"Those children were sacrificed. They are part of a nasty ritual." I remember this was practiced by the pretty old people during ancient times. "It is called the Anima Peregrinatione Ritual."

"How does it work?"

I asked the old jailer who stayed behind. "Mister, how many Hamelin children do these town have?"

"About a hundred and one." The old man replied.

"How many were taken by the Piper?"

"A hundred. The lame was not included because he could not catch up."

"Where is he now?" I asked.

Then Sir Heath came up to me, concerned on what I'm about to do. "You are not going to-."

I assured him it will not be like that. "No. I just need the boy for something else."

"Which is?"

"A marker so we can return from the void."

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	6. The Twist

**Author's Note: **This Narrator is a character of the story. He's not me. No breaking of 4th walls here.

* * *

**The Twist**

"No!" Heath exclaimed. "I will not let you use another soul in this damned ritual."

"Alright! I'll think of something else." I went out the building of the Hamelin prison and went to the river. Queen Aureole and her brothers followed me.

When I arrived there, I looked at it and checked its deep darkness. "Yep. This is it. I'm right."

"What did you see?" The queen looked at the river, trying to see what I saw.

"A doorway. Still open but undisturbed." I slowly dipped myself to the cold river.

"What are you trying to do?" The young queen's brother Gregory asked.

"I'm going to open it wide so we can enter."

"Wait." Heath began to think it was a bad idea. And he is right. "Are you not suppose to close it? We don't know what's _out_ there."

"I know. Don't worry. I know what I'm doing here." I'm giving them some assurance. "I'm just going to open it wide so we can get through."

"_We_?" The brothers began to move two steps back away from the river.

I dived in and went straight to the deep under the dark waters of the Hamelin river. There I saw the black doorway, twirling like a vortex of evil. I touched it and pushed my hand through. When my hand got to the other side, I feel nothing. No heat. No cold. My hand is not even wet. Completely nothing.

This proves my theory. That bastard Piper used children to open a portal to get to the Great Void, killed me and took my stone. Why did he took it?

Does he have plans for it?

I have a theory that is so worst that I don't want it to be true.

But enough of over-thinking things, I'm going to open it up with my enchantments. Even in my mortal form, I can still make spells. I just have the correct words and pronunciations. "Klaatu! Barada Nikto!"

After that, a beam of dark magic burst out from the Hamelin River and pierced the sky. The water began to float as if gravity was absent. The entire town of Hamelin floats three feet above ground. I called Heath and Gregory to join with me. "Guys, let's go."

"No thanks." Gregory said.

"I don't want to." Heath tried to get away.

"I'm coming with you." Aureole went towards the big black hole and swam towards it.

I gave her a warning. "You know this is a one way trip."

The young queen seemed to understand it. "I know. If this we are doing is to save the world, I want to be a part of it instead of squabbling around like cowards." She turned to her two brothers moving away from the river.

"Alright. Here we go!" Both of us dived into the black hole and disappeared.

We are at the center of nothing. The center of the Great Void. Well, there is no center actually. It is just blank space. Right below us is a blue river flowing towards a blue light. The young queen and the former thief were amazed at the place.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Outside Time, man. We are outside Time itself." I answered as we float above the blue river.

"And what is that?" Queen Aureole pointed at the flowing cosmic river.

"That is Time in physical form." I wanted to start a tour, guiding them where to go. But we have to time. We need to find the Piper and stop him from doing something incredibly disastrous. "In liquid state, I mean."

"This is incredible." The queen was impressed. She took a closer look at it and saw her reflection aging forward and then back. "I still look pretty when I'm old."

Then I stopped her. "No. We have important things to do."

"Right." The young queen turned away from the river and looked at the great pitch darkness. "So, what to do next? I don't see anything."

I felt a presence nearby. Then that presence spoke to us, "What do we have here?"

We turned and saw the Piper appearing to be standing on the Void along with the Shadow People lurking behind him.

The young queen and I prepared for a fight but then I noticed we didn't brought any weapons. We are fully unarmed. "Urgh! I forgot we have no weapons! Why did I forget that?"

Then the Piper spoke. "Enough of this lie, boy! You have something that we want."

Aureole asked him, "What are _lie_ are you talking about?"

The villain replied, "Your brother's death. The murder of the Time God. Light bomb of secrets which caused the arrest of the former thief. Everything happened because of a lie that you made!" He pointed his finger at me. The young queen turned at me and started to wonder what lie is the Piper talking about.

"Oliver? What is he talking about?"

Now I'm speechless.

How?

How did the Piper find out?

It must be the light. He must've seen my secret.

Then the evil Piper continued, "Can't you tell, my queen? Well of course you can't. You have not seen him as a young boy. He reverse his age, turning him younger and unrecognizable to you."

Aureole looked at me and tried to see what the Piper was talking about.

I stared at her for a second until she got the hint.

"Benjamin?" She finally recognized me.

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	7. The Showdown

**The Showdown**

"How pathetic." The Piper commented at my plan. "You _killed_ the Time God which by the way did not call himself a Narrator. Then you faked your death, making everyone think you were perished by the hands of a witch. But we all know Mother Gothel didn't kill you. She offered you a deal in which you accept."

"But… but…" My sister Aureole was confused for the moment. She can't tell if the Piper is telling the truth or just making up a sick crazy story. "But we recovered the corpse…"

"Yes. The mangled corpse of the Time God that your brother killed."

Aureole looked back at me, still trying to understand what's going on. "Is it true?"

I remained silent.

My sister began to feel dizzy and seconds later she fainted. I caught her before she floats away to the void. I gave her a time wave that disorients the human senses. Most of the time travelers experienced that. "Now you revealed the truth to my sister. What are you going to do now? And where are Eugene and Rapunzel?"

"Why bother?" Piper snapped his fingers and his shadow friends brought out the unconscious princess and her husband. "This lovely princess should have been your wife… your true love… However, you gave her up for power. The Power of the Time God."

He's right. Mother Gothel found me and I cowardly begged her to spare my life. There, she offered me a deal. If I continue my quest to save Rapunzel, she will blind me and send me to the scorching desert for months. But if I give up my quest, she will let me go and show me the way to the throne room of the old Time God. The opal of power. She told me it will be mine. Time is in my grasp once I got the gem.

Of course, I chose power. I want to prove to my brothers that I'm tough and earn their respect. I want to see them bow down before me.

However, it did not turn out what I thought. Once I taken down the god and got the gem, I turned into this entity of time trapped in this immortal body for eternity. I tried to get the power away but I just caused an wide explosion of light. A bomb of secrets to the world. Secrets that start wars. Secrets that destroys family and relationships. I have doomed the world and the Piper laughs at what I have done. In just a second, I changed a single moment in the past. Even my beloved Rapunzel's story has changed.

It was not the drop of sunlight that gave her power to heal and grew long hair. It was the witch's vegetables. The actual Rapunzel I know was born with golden hair, long and healthy. And her parents are not royal people. They are simple peasants who happens to be living near the witch's hut. I can't remember the details after I interrupt a single moment in the past that leads to this. I can't change it now.

"You had a wonderful future but you turned it down. You also manipulate events, creating this stupid adventure fantasy of yours and trying to win back Rapunzel's heart by showing off your godly might. You look pathetic, mortal!" He then added, "And you called yourself Oliver the Narrator and narrate all of your exploits thinking someone is listening to you… thinking you are the hero of this fantasy! WAKE UP!"

I clenched my fist and tried to hold down my anger. But he's right. I'm pathetic. I made myself a hero of this story when there are no heroes here. Just a villain who is about to do bad things to the world and a fool who just stupidly turned the world upside down.

"I will not let you continue!" I yelled.

The Piper crossed his arms and grinned, "Oh, really? How are you going to do that?"

I responded, "You are just like me. You forgot that I have the gem." I pulled out the opal from my sleeve and used its mighty power to create a orange construct to grabbed Rapunzel and Eugene way from them. Unfortunately, the shadow man smashed the construct and then dashed towards me. He grabbed my throat tight and made me let go of my sister.

"The gem is weak in this domain! There is no Time around you! It is just Nothing!" Piper grinned and started to tighten his grip on my neck.

I slammed the gem on the man's face. In just one touch, the gem bursted out orange sparks like a firecracker. The Piper did not scream as his cheek deteriorate into ashes. The shadow man was not harm for he was inside a host like a knight wearing an armor.

The next thing he did, Piper opened his mouth and let himself out to reveal his true form as the shadow man. The human body drifted away to the void as the shadow man continued to attack me.

But I was not worry about myself. I'm more worried about my sister and Rapunzel and Eugene floating slowly away from us. With the mighty gem on my hand, I opened a large doorway back to Time. In a flash appeared a bright orange vortex. It pulled us right in like a whirlpool swallowing us. The shadow man got in too. He never let goes of me.

We stumbled onto a warm green knoll and tumbled down to the ground. Rapunzel and Eugene fell to the other side and my sister Aureole crashed to the bushes. Immediately, I stood up to get my sister and the others to safety. The task may be simple but if a dangerous shadow man is chasing you, the difficulty gets higher.

"Benjamin!" The shadow entity yelled my name. "Stop running! There is no where to run!"

I looked up and see the bright sun visibly hiding behind the clouds. It is a strange scene to see a shadow man walking during the day. Well, if the gem is right, that means they are weaker. The shadow man approached me with fists dense enough to smash a rock. He made a powerful swing to me aiming at my face. He has a powerful punch but not fast enough for a time god. Everything around me slowed down and I dodged his attack at ease.

He missed and then I flee. I know that fighting him will not help when there are people who are in danger. I went to locate Rapunzel and Eugene to the other side of the knoll. When i got there, I saw the couple lying between the two trees still unconscious. I ran down towards them. "Guys! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Benjamin!" The dark entity appeared and his voice was more alarming than an incoming stampede.

"Rapunzel! Eugene! Wake up!" I tried to wake them up but failed. I had to do the second option. I activated the gem and took us to the future three days from now.

It gets bizarre when I thought it transported us to another grass field but instead we stumbled into a ship in a middle of a sea. The men in the large ship moved away in shock and awe as they saw us appeared covered with orange smoke. I coughed and talked to them. All of them looked at the unconscious couple behind me and began to wonder. I said, "I can explain."

Then a man with auburn hair approached us with a sword pointing on my nose. "Now where did you come from?"

I answered him, "From the kingdom of Corona... mister. I just saved the princess and her husband from danger."

"Princess of Corona?" Someone heard my answer. A woman in blue appeared before us and commanded the men. "Gentlemen, stand down. They are allies from the kingdom of Corona."

"But my queen..." That same guy said but he was silenced.

"Calm down, Hans. They are with me. One of them is my cousin."

That's great! An ally to help us in our situation. But there is something in my mind that bugs me. After a few seconds of thinking deep, I remembered what I forgot. "Aureole!"

**=X=**


End file.
